Philippine Issues on School / Classroom Bullying

PHILIPPINES ISSUES ON

SCHOOL / CLASSROOM BULLYING

Submitted by:

Cezar M. Barranta Jr.

PhD in Educational Managament

C a v i t e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t yD o n S e v e r i n o d e l a s A l a s C a m p u s

I n d a n g , C a v i t e

ABSTRACT

This paper discussed bullying and its effects on the children who have been bullied, who is

bully and children who witness bullying situations. It also discussed how the school, parents

and guardians deal if their children are caught are up in different bullying situations. The

paper highlighted the issues of school bullying in the Philippines and its serious psychological

consequences for victims that includes low psychological wellbeing, poor social adjustment,

psychological distress and physical illness.

INTRODUCTION

Bullying in school is a worldwide problem that can have negative consequences for the general

school climate and for a safe environment without fear. Bullying can also have negative

lifelong consequences-both for students who bully, for their victims and to the persons who

have witnessed bullying situations.

Although the phenomenon of bullying in schools have been always present but it is

increasing day after the other and that’s why the government is paying more attention to the

social life. School bullying is always related in some way to the acts of violence, and that’s

why the Education department is stressing more on the idea behind making schools free of

violence and urging students, their parents and teachers to act on fighting any act of violence

that appears in any school, and they are also stressing on the idea that schools should be a place

free from any threats for the children.

A survey that was recently conducted showed that one in two Filipino children

witnesses violence or abuse in their schools. It was also proved that students in the schools of

Philippine witness the different types of bullying, which might be verbal such as “calling

names”, “being made fun of”, or it might be social such as “letting the child out of activities

by others”, or “making the student do things he/she did not want to make it in the first place”.

The Department of Education in the Philippines reported more than 1,700 cases of child

abuse or bullying in schools for the years of 2013 and 2014, although the DepEd lately said

that this number is decreasing, and that comes after they issued an order in 2012 known as

DepEd Child Protection Policy which states the policy and guidelines for the child protection

in schools against abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying and other different

forms that might be a threat for the child. The 2012 DepEd Child Protection Policy not only

takes care of the violence targeted towards the children but it also look at the side of the Family

and that is referring to school administrators, teachers, academic and non academic staff, to

take care of the children and deal with those who already suffered any kind of bullying before.

The House of Representatives in Philippine has approved a bill that requires all the

elementary and the secondary schools to adopt policies that prevent bullying or any other kind

of violence in the schools. This bill requires the schools to include the anti-bullying policies in

the school student’s and employee handbook, it should be apparent on the wall of the schools,

the classrooms and websites. The schools should then submit to the DepEd after six months

upon the effect of the law, and any incidents should be reported immediately, and in case of

absence of the policies in any school, there is a sanction that falls on the school’s administrators.

With bullying being referred to as an aggressive behavior that is done repeatedly and

might turn out to be an act of violence, that might be verbal, physical or social, and usually the

person who is responsible for these acts is doing so because he/she wants to show that he/she

is more powerful, they want to grab the attention of the people around them, and it does not

always have to be out of revenge or hatred, sometimes they come out of the person because

they are just bored. Schools should pay more attention for bullying because:

Children might take this behavior with them even after they leave schools, so teachers

should apply policies that will improve the safety and happiness of the students, and to show

bullies that any of these acts is unacceptable in schools.

Bullying is not just an act that happens and is forgotten the time it is finished, but it

might lead the victim to feel depressed, to get away from any social activity, to feel powerless,

shameful or always threatened.

Bullying is comprised of direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting

and stealing that are initiated by one or more students against a victim. In addition to direct

attacks, bullying may also be more indirect by causing a student to be socially isolated through

intentional exclusion. While boys typically engage in direct bullying methods, girls who bully

are more apt to utilize these more subtle indirect strategies, such as spreading rumors and

enforcing social isolation (Ahmad and Smith, 1994; Smith & Sharp, 1994). Whether the

bullying is direct or indirect, the key component of bullying is that the physical or

psychological intimidation occurs repeatedly over time to create an ongoing pattern of

harassment and abuse (Batsche & Knoff, 1994; Olweus, 1993).

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that invokes a

real or perceived power imbalance. It is an intentional repetitive act that affects to both kids

who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problem.

PHILIPPINE BULLYING STORIES

Case 1

As bullying comes in many form, one of them is the physical bullying which is defined as

doing something that will harm the victim. This incident took place in Fisher Valley College

in Taguig. The first bullying incident happened in July 2013, when the girl’s classmate pulled

away her chair just as she was about to sit on it. This caused the girl to fall. The girl’s parents

complained and the school promised to separate the two kids.

Four months after the incident, another classmate poked the girl’s right palm with a pencil. The

girl was given first aid by a teacher, and not the school nurse. When the girl’s father came to

fetch her, he noticed that the lead point of the pencil was stuck in the girl’s right thumb. The

father took her to an emergency room to have the lead removed. Then the girl’s parents

complain again to the school. This time, the vice principal said that the child who poked the

girl with a pencil would be transferred to another classroom. But that didn’t happen.

Instead, the school recommended a one-week leave of absence for 5-year-old girl and the child

who hurt her, calling it a “cooling off period.” Then the school assigned an intern to watch over

the bullied girl.

After the school year as the valedictorian of her kindergarten class, the girl transferred to

another school. But her parents want make sure that Fisher Valley College takes complaints

about bullying seriously, which is why they have filed a formal complaint at the Department

of Education.

The little girl has also began to seeing a psychiatrist, who confirmed that she was experiencing

a lot of anxiety. Until now, no updates were reported yet.

Case 2

A 9-year-old boy from Tanong Elementary School in Malabon is in critical condition after he

was allegedly bullied by his classmates. Fred Aston Mendoza, a Grade 4 student, was confined

in the Philippine Children's Medical Center after undergoing surgery.

The victim's mother, Vilma Santos Mendoza, said her son had bruises when he went home

heard complaints from his son that his son was stripped, punched and kicked in his abdomen.

Later that night, the boy suffered from high fever.

When he was brought to the hospital, it was found out that he was suffering from internal

bleeding in his liver. Fred underwent surgery.

School authorities have called the parents of the two children involved in the incident.

It has only been a month since President Aquino signed RA 10627, or the Anti Bullying Act.

Fred's case is only one of the many cases of bullying in Malabon that time. Malabon police

have recorded 7 recent cases of bullying in the city. Authorities are keeping tabs on schools

with numerous cases of bullying.

Case 3

An incident in Zamboanga City may add to the present case as a 14-year-old boy, believed to

have been bullied in school, committed suicide in Tungawan town in Zamboanga Sibugay.

According to the town’s police chief, said the 8th grader boy, left a note blaming his classmate

and a neighbor. The boy was found hanging from the ceiling with a cable wire tied around his

neck. A suicide note was also recovered from the scene. The boy was living with his aunt.

The assistant school division superintendent urged authorities to investigate the boy’s death.

The suspicion have lead them to the bullies and they must be identified to prevent more cases

like this.

The superintendent also reminded schools to strictly advocate and observe the anti-bullying

guidelines.

REPUBLIC ACT R.A. 10627 “ANTI-BULLYING ACT”

Last December 23, 2013, the RA 10627 was implemented to collectively address the problems

on bullying. This covers elementary and secondary schools and this also covers physical,

social, verbal, and cyber bullying.

As requirements, the school must come up with policies defining and prohibiting

bullying inside and outside school premises including retaliation against person who reports

bullying incident or bullies. The school should also come up with admin procedures and

disciplinary actions, rehabilitation program for bullies, and strategies and procedures for

recording system, reporting and investigation, and filtering of false reports and disciplinary

action for students making false reports. In addition, the school should have strategies and

procedures for the safety and security of the students, support services such as counseling for

victims, privacy students involve, and education for parents and students on bullying dynamics.

As it is now established in the public and private schools, it was reported that on the

school year 2013-2014, there were 1,700 reports of child abuse and bullying in school and 60

percent of these were resolved.

EFFECTS OF BULLYING

The effects of school bullying are pervasive and far-reaching. From mental point of view, a

child's self-esteem can be severely impacted even years after bullying has stopped. The victims

of bullying may suffer from depression, particularly if the bullying has occurred over a long

period of time (Laneaux, 2010). It should be recognized that this mental effects do not stop at

the bullied, they also extended to the bullies. According to Omoteso (2010) studies have shown

that those involved in prolonged and serious bullying of others experience wide range of mental

health, academic and social problems. He also pointed out that studies point to the connection

between bullying and sexual harassment and violence in later years.

Bullying can affect everyone – those who are bullied, those who bully and those who witness

bullying. Bullying is link to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health,

substance use an suicide.

Effects on Kids who are being Bullied

Bullying can make kids don't want to play outside and go to school. It makes the child think

that school is one of the scary place to go to. School bullying affects the relationship between

the bullied and his or her parents or guardians. The relationship between a parent and the child

who is being bullied may be strained because of the child's hostility towards school. For

instance, a child may blame his or her parents for forcing him to go to that school (Laneaux,

2010). For victims repeated bullying can cause psychological distress and many other allied

problems.

Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school and mental issues. Kids who

are bullied are more likely to experience:

Depression and anxiety, increased feeling of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep

and eating patterns, and loss of activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist

into adulthood

Health complaints

Decreased academic achievement – GPA and standardized test scores – and school

participation that are more likely to miss, skip or drop out of school.

According to Wikipedia (2010) victims of bullying can suffer from long-term emotional

and behavioral problems. Bullying can cause loneliness, depression, anxiety, lead to low self-

esteem and increased susceptibility to illness.

School bullying also has physical effects. Bruises, scratches and scars can mean a child is

being bullied. Aside from the normal bumps and scrapes that young children get from playing,

excessive marks should be investigated. Also a loss of appetite or sleep is common as a result

of the fear and anxiety that bullying cause (Laneaux, 2010). Bullying also affects the friendly

relationship of the victim and his or her friends. A child may isolate himself or develop a

general distrust of people. He may also seek revenge on his bully or feel justified in attacking

other children to relieve stress or anxiety (Laneaux, 2010).

A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures.

Effects on Kids Who Bully Others

To the bully, the act of bullying gives pleasures and occupies most of his time. The time and

energy that should be used in studies is now directed to mischief, hence, poor academic

performance. In a bullying situation there is always fear and tension for victims. This tense

atmosphere creates no room for peace. Learning can never take place effectively in a not

peaceful environment.

Furthermore, for bullies, aggression may persist into adulthood in the form of criminality,

marital violence, child abuse and sexual harassment.

Kids who bully others can also engage in violent and other risky behaviors into adulthood.

Kids who bully are more likely to:

Abuse and other drugs in adolescence and as adults

Get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school

Engage in early sexual activity

Have criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults

Be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses, or children as adults

Effects on Kids Who Witness Bullying

Kids who witness bullying are more likely to:

Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs

Have increased mental health problems, including depression and anxiety

Miss or skip school

Bullying has a very detrimental effect on children especially on the victims who can

become school-phobic (Martins Umeh and Ndubuaku (ed) in Nnachi and Ezeh, 2003)

The problem of bullying goes beyond the bullies and their victims to the peers and even the

entire community. Through life, bullying gives room to an atmosphere of fear, dread and

victimization.

Developing a safe and supportive school climate. This is an important starting pointfor

counsellors is to realize that much bullying occurs without the knowledge of teachers and

parents, and that many victims are very reluctant to tell adults of their problems with bullying

(Egbochuku, 2007).

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BULLYING AND SUICIDE

Media reports often link bullying with suicide. However, most youth who are bullied do not

have thoughts of suicide or engage in suicidal behaviors. Although kids who are bullied are at

risk of suicide, bullying alone is not the cause. Many issues contribute to suicide risk, including

depression, problems at home, and trauma history. Additionally, specific groups have an

increased risk of suicide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. This risk can be

increased further when these are not supported by parents, peers, and schools. Bullying can

make unsupportive situation worse.

TYPES OF CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING BULLIED

Children with physical, developmental, emotional and sensory disabilities are more likely to

be bullied that their peers. Any number of factors – physical vulnerability, social skill

challenges, or intolerant environments – may increase their risks. Research suggests that some

children with disabilities may bully other as well.

Kids with special health needs, such as epilepsy or food allergies, may also be at higher

risk of being bullied. For kids with special health needs, bullying can include making fun of

kids because of their allergies or exposing them to things they are allergic to. In these cases,

bullying is not just serious; it can mean life or death.

A small but growing amount of research shown that:

Children with attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely than

other children to be bullied. They also are somewhat more likely than others to bully

their peers (Tynman et al., 2010; Unnever & Cornell, 2003; Weiner & Mak, 2009).

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk of being bullied

and left out by peers (Twyman et al., 2010). In a study of 8-17 year-olds, researchers

found that children with ASD were more three times as likely to be bullied by peers

(Hamiwka, Yu, Hamiwka, Sherman, Anderson, & Wirrell, 2009), as are children with

medical conditions that affect their appearance, such as cerebral palsy, muscular

dystrophy and spina bifida. These children frequently report being called names related

to their disability (Dawkins, 1996).

Children with hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of their body) are more likely than other

children of their age to be bullied and have fewer friends (Yude, Goodman, &

McConachie, 1998).

Children who have diabetes and are dependent on insulin may be especially vulnerable

to peer bullying (Storch et al., 2004).

Children who stutter may be more likely to be bullied. In one study, 83 percent of adults

who stammered as children said that they were teased or bullied; 71 percent of those

who had been bullied said it happened at least once a week (Hugh-Jones and Smith,

1999).

Children with learning disabilities (LD) are at a greater risk of being bullied (Martlew

& Hudson, 1991; Mishna, 2003; Nabozuka & Smith, 1993; Thompson, Whitney, &

Smith, 1994; Twyman, Saylor, Saia, Macias, Taylor & Spratt, 2010). At least one study

also has found that children with LD may also be more likely than other children to

bullying their peers (Twyman et al., 2010).

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS:

If you believe a child with special needs is being bullied:

Be supportive of the child and encourage him or her to describe who was involved and

how and where the bullying happened. Be sure to tell the child that it is not his or her

fault and that nobody deserves to be bullied or harassed. Do not encourage the child to

fight back. This may make the problem worse.

Ask the child specific questions about his or her friendships. Be aware of signs of

bullying, even if the child doesn’t call it that. Children with disabilities do not always

realize they are being bullied. They may, for example, believe that they have a new

friend although this “friend” is making fun of them.

Talk with the child’s teacher immediately to see whether he or she can help to resolve

the problem.

Put your concerns in writing and contact the principal if the bullying or harassment is

severe or the teacher doesn’t fix the problem. Explain what happened in detail and ask

for a prompt response. Keep a written record of all conversations and communications

with the school.

Explore whether the child may also be bullying other younger, weaker students at

school.

Be persistent. Talk regularly with the child and with school staff to see whether the

behavior has stopped.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

As per study and experience, bullying in the Philippine schools line in other parts of the world,

is a phenomenon that has serious psychological consequences.

Sometimes, the Philippines administration cannot manage to control bullying incidents

in our schools. Understanding why bullying happens in schools will make it easy for the parents

and guardians to help their children from being victims and ensure that their children do not

become bullies themselves.

In line with the conclusion above, below are the following recommendations for the

solutions to the problem of school bullying:

1. Schools must have peer clubs that concerns anti-bullying matters.

2. Anti-bullying policies and lectures on handling them must be given to the parents

during their regular monthly PTA Meetings.

3. Hotlines should be available on the school premises posted on the conspicuous areas

for the easy access in times of bullying situations is concern. This will also serve as

warning to those student who wants to bully someone.

4. School administrators, teachers and parents as well should realize the danger of the

media. They should discourage children and students of watching violence, murders,

rape, and robberies, etc.

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